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Gulf Coast Shipyard Group (GCSG) has launched the first of six LNG-fuelled offshore supply vessels (OSVs) that it is building for Harvey Gulf International Marine.

Running on cleaner-burning natural gas, the 302-foot OSVs will meet the stringent requirements of the ABS 'ENVIRO+, Green Passport' notation, making them the most environmentally friendly OSVs in Gulf of Mexico.

The requirements for this certification include that the vessels be continuously manned with a certified environmental officer, be completely constructed with certified environmentally friendly materials, and have advanced alarms for fuel tanks and containment systems.

John Dane III, Gulf Coast Shipyard Group’s President and CEO, said: "The launch of the first vessel of its kind in the United States, with another five to follow, demonstrates the commitment both Gulf Coast Shipyard Group and Harvey Gulf have to providing engineering solutions to advance environmental technologies."

Harvey Gulf CEO, Shane J. Guidry, remarked: "Certification of these vessels will be made by the American Bureau of Shipping to achieve 'ENVIRO+, Green Passport' status. To meet the criteria, GSCG has met the requirements that the vessel be constructed with environmentally-friendly materials and feature advanced alarm systems. Ultimately, the vessel will also be continuously manned by a certified Environmental Officer."

Harvey Gulf International Marine became the first U.S. vessel operator to contract for construction of vessels capable of operating exclusively on natural gas.

The company is currently constructing the first LNG marine fuelling facility in the United States, to be located at its vessel facility in Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

The facility will consist of two sites, each with an LNG storage capacity of 270,000 gallons. The tanks will be stainless steel Type 'C' pressure vessels with vacuum insulation and carbon steel exteriors. Each facility will be able to transfer 500 gallons of LNG per minute.

Aside from its primary role of supporting the oil and gas industry, the facility will also be capable of supporting over-the-road vehicles that operate on LNG.